Knockdown case.



No. 655,952. Patented Aug. [4, I900. H. E. BEERLING.

KNOCKDOWN CASE.

(Application filed Jan. 8, 1900.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l,

m. 655,952. Patented Aug. [4, 1900. u. E. BEERLING.

KNOGKDOWN cAsE.

(Application filed Jan. s, 1900.

" 2 Sheets-Sheet z (No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY E. BEERLING, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

KNOCKDOWN CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 655,952, dated August 14, 1900.

Application filed January 8, 1900. Serial No. 686. (NomodeL) To a whom it may concern:

Be it known thatl, HENRY 'E. BEERLING, a citizen of the United States, residing at" Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Knockdown Cases, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to knockdown cabinets or cases; and it is the object of the invention to obtain a construction specially designed for use as a knockdown show-case.

The invention consistsin the peculiar construction whereby the sides of the cabinet are secured to the base and assembled in relation to each other; further, in the peculiar formation of the base, and, further, in the peculiar construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, as hereinafter more fully described and shown.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the parts composing my case, showing the manner of assembling the same. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through one of the sides of the case. Fig. 3 is a-section on line no 00, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a'section through the rear side and base. Fig. 5 is an enlarged horizontal section through the adjacent portions of the front and side sections. Fig. 6 is abottom perspective view of one corner of the base.

My knockdown cabinet or case comprises a base member A, the parallel side members B and B, the front member 0, and the top D.

In the construction shown in the drawings, the side members 13 and B and the front member 0 are formed of rectangular frames tively, the front and two sides of the base.

These sections may be secured to each other in any suitable way, such as by gluing or nailing, and in the rear the two sides are connected by. a cross-bar b. r

0 represents strips secured to the base, extending parallel to the sides aand or at the inner edges thereof. These strips form the bottoms of the channels in .which the sides B and B of the cabinet are slidingly secured and also serve to strengthen the base and hold it in its rectangular form.

In order to secure the strip 0 in position, the sections of molding a a a are formed with steps or shoulders d, as shown, against which the upper faces of the strips a bear and to which they are secured. At the inner edges of the strips 0 are formed u pwardly-proj ectin g e is a panel secured to the flanges c of the bars 0 and projecting outward slightly beyond said flanges, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6. This panel 6 extends from the rear cross-bar b to near the front of the base, leaving only suffioient space thereat for the insertion of the front section 0 of the case.

The effect of the construction 3' net described is to produce a base the front and sides of which are formed by the molding, the center by the panel e, while between said panel and the molding are formed channels f, f, and f for respectively receiving the lower edges of the sections 13, B, and 0. It will be observed that the channels fand fare undercut or have laterally-proj ectin g portions beneath the projecting ends 6 of the panel 6, and this is for the purpose of locking said sections B and B to the base, as will be hereinafter described. The sections B and B are substantially alike in construction,eachcomprisingarectangular frame 9 and a glass panel h, secured therein. The base-rail of the frame 9 is of a cross-section to fit within the channel f and on its inner face is provided with a laterally-projecting portion or tongue 9 adapted to engage with the laterally-projecting portion of the channel and beneath the overhanging projection e of the panel. The front side rail of the frame g is formed with a vertical groove or channel 9 as shown in Fig. 5, and which is adapted to receive the side rail 2' of the front section 0. This section is also composed of a rectangular frame and glass panel, the side rails of said frame being of such a cross-section-as to fit within the channel g and side of the channel 9 when secured therein to form the appearance of a single molding. This appearance is produced by forming the side rail g with an upright thin portion 9 constituting the outer Thebottom rail i of the frame of the section 0 is of a cross-section to fit completely within the groove f in the base. The top section D is preferably formed with the moldingj, extending around the edge of its lower side and adapted to fit over the outside of the top rails of the sections 0, B,and B. The rear sections E E are also preferably formed of rectangular frames and transparent panels, the inner edges of the frames being oppositely rabbeted to form a tight joint. In order to lock the sections E and E in their closed position, any suitable locking bolt or latch may be used, such as shown at F, while the keeper for this bolt may be secured either at the base or, as shown, to the top section D.

The parts being constructed as shown and described, toassemble them the upper side sections B and B are first secured to the base by engaging thelower rails g with the channelsfand f, respectively, and then sliding the sections into position, as shown in Fig.1. The front section 0 is then placed in position to engage the side rails i with the channels g in the rails g, after which the said front section may be slid down into position, the lower rail 1" engaging with the groove f in the base. The top D is next placed in position, its flanges j projecting down outside of the top rails of the panels and serving to hold the sections from spreading apart. Vhen the parts are thus assembled, it will be observed that the transparent panels extend from the top almost completely to the base of the cabinet, as the lower rail g and t" of said sections are hidden within the channels f, f, and f while the upper rails of said sections are concealed by the molding or flangej. Thus the case has every appearance of one formed of parts permanently secured to each other. Moreover, the construction is such that the case will be practically weatherproof, so that it maybe used as an outside show-case. This weatherproof quality is produced, first, by the character of the joint between the front and sides, which, as shown in Fig. 5, is in eifect that of a wedge engaging a tapering channel; further, from the fact that the bottom rails g and i engage with channels below the level of the panel e, which forms the bottom of the case; further, by the overhanging flanges j of the top, which prevent water from working in at the top of the vertical sections, and, further, from the fact that the hinge-sections E and E have a rabbeted engagement with each other and with the frame. This rabbet engagement is produced by providing the side rails, to which the sections E and E are hinged, with projecting flanges Z, and the downward-projecting flange on the top D is provided with a corresponding flange m, against which the sections E and E bear in their closed position.

The sides of the base are securely held together by means of the laterally-projecting flanges g engaging with the lateral projections 6 of the base.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a knockdown case, a base comprising a frame one of the sides thereof having a channel formed along its inner edge with an upwardly-projecting flange at the inner edge of said channel, and a central panel secured to said flange and overlapping said channel; in combination with a side section adapted to slidingly engage with said channel and having alateral projection extending beneath the overhanging portion of said panel.

2. In a knockdown case, a base comprising a frame formed of molding sections mitered at the corners and stepped or rabbeted on their under sides, bars extending parallel to opposite sides of said frame along the inner edges thereof, and secured in said steps or rabbets, said bars having upwardly-project ing flanges at their inner edges, a central panel secured to said upwardly-projecting flanges and overhanging said bars, the arrangement being such as to form parallel undercut channels between the inner edges of said sides, and said central panel; in combination with side sections adapted to slidingly engage said channels and having lateral projections engaging the undercut portion thereof.

In testimony whereof I afflx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY E. BEERLING.

Witnesses:

L. J. WHITTEMORE, H. 0. SMITH. 

